Learners switching to Automatics.

[TnTkr]

I like automatic transmissions too, but I rather drive manual than lousy automatic. I've driven too many not-so-well functioning new automatic cars lately. For example Mercedes A and GLA double clutch automatic and Honda Jazz CVT are ones, that I'd not take myself.

[Kremmen]

I agree, my Civic has a traditional torque converter and I can't fault it.

I'm getting around 50mpg with the 1.8 so can't complain.

[ColinB]

Lots of accidents, shop fronts, etc, involve the elderly who are not used to autos and hit the wrong pedals in a panic.

Bit of a sweeping generalisation there ... unless you have evidence? Even if there have been a handful of such incidents reported, that number may not be significant in comparison to the numbers of other accidents that do not involve either elderly drivers or “pedal confusion”.  In the US, seniors are actually advised to use cars with auto transmissions:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/older-drivers

[Si Crewe]

All new cars after 2030 will be full automatics..

So anybody with an auto-only license will be golden in about 2050 or 2060. 

[RichardA]

I like automatic transmissions too, but I rather drive manual than lousy automatic. I've driven too many not-so-well functioning new automatic cars lately. For example Mercedes A and GLA double clutch automatic and Honda Jazz CVT are ones, that I'd not take myself.

I've driven a 2005 Mk5 VW Golf DSG, 2007 Mk2 Honda CR-V (torque converter) and 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid (CVT). All were not planned drives in automatcs - the Golf I booked a test drive for but they didn't have a manual demo, and the Hondas were courtsey cars from the Honda dealer. Based on my jump in and go experiences, the torque converter felt the smoothest overall. The DSG was terrfic until I pulled up a junction where it seemed to be jerky, as if it changed its mind at the last minute as to what gear to be in.

The A Class and BMW 1-series is on my shortlist for my next car and most nearly new examples are fitted with the dual clutch transmission. I'm also quite tempted by a Kia Proceed GT, but that is DCT only.

[Jocko]

I have only driven torque converter equipped vehicles (25 years of ownership and buses and coaches at work), and I think they are wonderful to drive. That is why I fancy the new Jazz or a full EV.

[Kremmen]

I agree.

I've driven these automated manuals and they are dreadful at low parking speeds.

[123Drive!]

I like automatic transmissions too, but I rather drive manual than lousy automatic. I've driven too many not-so-well functioning new automatic cars lately. For example Mercedes A and GLA double clutch automatic and Honda Jazz CVT are ones, that I'd not take myself.

I've driven a 2005 Mk5 VW Golf DSG, 2007 Mk2 Honda CR-V (torque converter) and 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid (CVT). All were not planned drives in automatcs - the Golf I booked a test drive for but they didn't have a manual demo, and the Hondas were courtsey cars from the Honda dealer. Based on my jump in and go experiences, the torque converter felt the smoothest overall. The DSG was terrfic until I pulled up a junction where it seemed to be jerky, as if it changed its mind at the last minute as to what gear to be in.

The A Class and BMW 1-series is on my shortlist for my next car and most nearly new examples are fitted with the dual clutch transmission. I'm also quite tempted by a Kia Proceed GT, but that is DCT only.

Whichever you are planning to purchase, do some research as some of the autos aren't so reliable. I brought the Toyota Corolla Verso MMt when it first came out thinking Toyota can't go wrong. After two years, it broke down and apparently it had a major design fault. Likewise my I-Shift was only three years old and not much information was around at the time. But it did last until 8 yrs old and 88k miles before I had the actuator issue.

My friend's DSG had many problems and so did my ex pupil's A class 2016. If I were you best stick to Korean.

[culzean]

Whichever you are planning to purchase, do some research as some of the autos aren't so reliable. I brought the Toyota Corolla Verso MMt when it first came out thinking Toyota can't go wrong. After two years, it broke down and apparently it had a major design fault. Likewise my I-Shift was only three years old and not much information was around at the time. But it did last until 8 yrs old and 88k miles before I had the actuator issue.

My friend's DSG had many problems and so did my ex pupil's A class 2016. If I were you best stick to Korean.

If model you are planning to buy is secondhand, look on forums for that brand and model - you often find out the truth behind the hype.  Maybe would not work with a new model as the faults have had no time to show up, but sometimes does not pay to be an 'early adopter' ( AKA guinea pig ) of new, unproven tech.

[culzean]

Lots of accidents, shop fronts, etc, involve the elderly who are not used to autos and hit the wrong pedals in a panic.

Bit of a sweeping generalisation there ... unless you have evidence? Even if there have been a handful of such incidents reported, that number may not be significant in comparison to the numbers of other accidents that do not involve either elderly drivers or “pedal confusion”.  In the US, seniors are actually advised to use cars with auto transmissions:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/older-drivers

Only because their legs probably too weak to press a clutch down, anyway USA is the home of the auto-box, a manual is normally a special order.  They probably struggle to find the gearstick as well when car is moving - yeah, autos are good for oldies.

[Kremmen]

I've been buying and driving autos since 1977. I borrowed an Austin 2200 at the time and was smitten.

They are just so much more relaxing to drive.  A good torque converter driven carefully and you wouldn't know the gears had changed. Periodically when my firm gave me a manual pool car for client visits they reminded me how much hassle manuals are, especially in traffic.

I also found that I had to move the seat forward to floor the clutch.

We all have our preferences and mine is definitely 2 pedals - stop and go

[Jocko]

When I got the Jazz, I felt I had made a big mistake reverting to a manual transmission. My Jazz is a pure pig in slow crawling traffic. Trying to drive slowly is like wrestling a kangaroo. It will not creep in first or second gear. First is too low and you just have to breathe on the throttle, and it wants to take off. In second if you take your foot off the throttle, it wants to kangaroo down the road. I spend more time with the clutch down in slow-moving traffic.

[sparky Paul]

The short gearing is really odd on the mark 1, I think it's designed for traffic light drag races. It could do with a longer final drive ratio.

[Westy36]

I passed and bought a 1929 Riley 9 Monaco fabric bodied saloon for £30. Magneto ignition, starter motor and petrol tank mounted in engine bay on top of bulkhead above driver's feet. Offsetting the risk of fire,opening front windscreen, Vacuum wipers.
And suicide front doors...

Wow! That is some experience. I learned to drive in a Morris Marina and Mini Mayfair. I consider them to be analogue cars, nothing auto, but compared to a '29 Riley I reckon I had it easy. 

There is a lot of love for auto boxes here. I've only had three. Jag XJ6 for a few weeks that I couldnt really afford at the time. 6 months in a 1985 BMW 525e Auto, lovely car and very beige/brown. Rover P6 for a couple of months.

I moved them on because I find auto boxes boring. I much prefer manual. The correct timing of a gear change, more control, better economy and also cheaper to buy used as there are more of them on the market. Manual all day long for me.

Wise words re automated manuals. All of the DSG/Ford Powershift/French EDC type boxes are grief and to be avoided. Lots of £2k+ repair bills have been paid out on these.

[embee]

As alluded to by others, a gearbox in a car is just a solution for the limitations of the IC engine. Why would anyone want a gearbox in the transmission if it didn't need one?
The Jazz is the first auto I've actually owned, but spent a lot of my career concentrating mostly on autos (I was in engine engineering), so drove a lot of them. I'm quite happy with the stepped CVT, just not having to use a clutch is a blessing. It's a bit like manual chokes, manual advance/retard levers, crank handles etc, why would you want one if you had the option to do away with it?
I have a Honda bike with a "dual clutch transmission" (DCT). It's effectively an automated manual box, one clutch does gears 1,3,5 and the other does 2,4,6. You can use it in the various auto modes as supplied, but you also have the option of using it as a "manual" but just using the flappy paddles, so full manual control but without the hassle of a clutch. I love it, but some hate them. I wonder how much of it is the apparent macho-ness of actually heaving a clutch in and out, as opposed to the namby pamby push-button wimp device? I don't care, it works really well and is a godsend in heavy city traffic.

EV is the eventual way to go for sure, one pedal to go, one pedal to stop. The simpler the transmission the better. Why should it be any more complicated if it doesn't need to be? Mind you, there's always the nostalgia for vinyl records ...................